Giving Thanks for Alzheimer's?© Karen Largent
Nov 10, 1998
Thanksgiving is the time we gather together with family and friends to give thanks for what we have. Why would anyone be thankful for Alzheimer's disease? Well, maybe being thankful is just another way of looking at this devastating illness.
We can be thankful we live in a time when scientific advances are revealing promising treatments every day. We have new drugs to lessen the severity of symptoms and slow progression of AD.
We live in a time when disease is recognized and treated, we no longer lock up those with dementia in asylums and forget about them. We treat those with dementia with kindness and compassion, not inhumanely as in times past. We could be thankful that our loved one is not in pain, the majority of Alzheimer's sufferers are in excellent physical health. We can be thankful for the little things, a smile, laughter, a fond memory. We can be happy that our loved one can share in this holiday and is still with us. You could be thankful that you have time to tell your loved one all the things that need to be said. Too often a loved one is taken from us before we can tell them we love them, appreciate them, thank them, etc. In short, during this holiday time, be glad you have support, information, modern medical care, and the love of someone who cannot help how they are thinking or acting. Be thankful that you can be the someone that the Alzheimer's sufferer relies upon to make their time left on this earth, safe, nurturing and happy. Being a caregiver can be an enriching and rewarding experience. It's hard work taking care of an Alzheimer's sufferer, and the rewards of this hard work may not be evident to the caregiver but I believe that the Alzheimer's patient, in some way, knows that they are cared for and loved. Next article: Nursing Homes - Choosing what's best.
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What a lovely tribute to someone who must have been a very dynamic person. You have been fortunate to have had her to guide and teach you. Many people do not have that type of relationship with their ...
-- posted by Karen_Largent
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My mother suffered from Alzheimer's for 30 years before she went to be with her Lord last month at age 91. She had been in excellent physical health and able to enjoy most of her favorite activities a ...
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I wasn't sure if people would see what I was trying to get across. It's so hard for caregivers to see beyond the day to day struggles and frustrations. I was partly using my own experience of losing m ...
-- posted by Karen_Largent
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So many people complain about what they don't have and forget all the good things and loving family and friends they do have. Alzheimers patient's lose memory not feelings and showing love is somethin ...
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